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Plans to build Tesco store in Wigton still alive

Tesco insists its bid to build a supermarket in Wigton remains very much alive.

The grocery giant said this week it would not be dropping plans to build a store in the town centre.

A spokesman said: “We remain in discussions about the site and are looking at our options for a proposal.”

The retail giant would not be drawn any further on the long-anticipated controversial development on the former Hopes auction mart site, which would bring hundreds of new jobs to the town.

No timescale has been set for the project, but The Cumberland News understands that the proposals may be for a smaller store than originally planned.

Meanwhile, bosses at Hopes confirmed Tesco had not pulled out.

“We are still very much in discussions with Tesco. Nothing has changed,” said mart director Bruce Walton.

Rumours that the regular household auctions run by the company at the old town centre site are to cease have also been denied by the auctioneer firm.

Planning restrictions mean the popular auctions cannot currently be moved from the town centre to the auction mart’s new site in Syke Road.

“These household auctions are very popular and attract customers from far and wide and we have no intention of stopping them,” said Mr Walton. “Our aim has been all along to move them to the new site, but we are unable to do so at the moment because of access problems.”

Tesco have been trying for a number of years to get a store in Wigton.

They were given planning permission for a 30,000sq ft shop in 2011, but this was quashed following a court appeal 21 months later.

Previously, it was suggested that the scheme would bring 270 jobs with it, but it is possible this number would change if the application was made for a smaller store.